When Matt is sharing new perceptions regarding lunar and stellar influence over native yeast fermentations, he could as well be murmuring to his children in the garden, or presenting at a biodynamic conference far from home. Forever piqued by the subtle but compelling qualities of Pinot Noir, Matt now devotes his intellect and intuition to making wine from the ground up.

If you, like Matt, are constantly exploring the universe of Burgundy, if you search to distinguish constant qualities each time you experience a new vintage, then you will celebrate Pinot Noir from Matthew D. Taylor. His is a wine of charm. From Matthew D. Taylor, we may expect wines that balance insight with experimentation, consistency with spirit, and which reflect pure love for Pinot Noir.

Respectfully,

Burges Smith
Friend and Colleague

Matthew D. Taylor

Matt gleaned his first perceptions of "a winemaker's life" from Chris Bilbro of Marietta Cellars. The father of Matt’s best friend, Bilbro shared his passions – for wine and food, fishing and abalone diving, wild boar and mushroom hunting, kayaking and surfing, and for a glass of his personal artistry at the end of the day. Perhaps most of all, Matt registered the man's zeal for the moment, and his ever-present smile.

As an undergraduate at the University of Washington, Matt majored in Language Arts: Spanish and French. While living in Spain (Cádiz) for almost 2 years he managed to travel throughout Europe and Africa. His brother and present business partner, Sean, often accompanied him. He did cellar work for a sherry producer in Jerez. He learned of biodynamic farming during an ardent, all night discussion with a relative in Switzerland. In Burgundy, the history, land, and wine of Le Montrachet opened suddenly for Matt during a tasting at Domaine Leflaive, where it was explained "one can't have terroir without women and men of terroir."

Upon returning to the US, Matt spent several quiet months exploring Western rivers. While attaining his Master Fly Fisherman accreditation, he set his sights for the future. Back among the vines of his home territory in the Russian River Valley, Matt worked as Assistant Winemaker to Rod Berglund of Joseph Swan Vineyards – and applied to graduate school.

In 2004 Matt graduated with top grades from Fresno State. He took a post-baccalaureate degree in Viticulture & Enology, with emphasis in enology and a minor in chemistry. During that time, Matt became frustrated with the bias for chemical remediation of vineyard and winery issues – with fervent conviction that soil health alone could best ensure vineyard productivity.

Determined to develop the broadest possible perspective on the wine industry, Matt took a job in wine sales following graduation, teaching about the wines he represented, and saving his pay for travel throughout Burgundy, the Rhône Valley, Alsace, and Champagne after a harvest internship with the Seysses family of Domaine Dujac. When he returned from France the last time he could wait no longer; he set out to find the vineyard-to-bottle winery position of his dreams.

In the Napa Valley, Matt reached out to Biodynamic producers Bart & Daphne Araujo. Hired initially as Assistant Winegrower for their Eisele Vineyard, Matt has since assumed the mantle of Winegrower, and finally also Winemaker. His broad experiences with Araujo Estate Wines include a harvest internship in Argentina, another in New Zealand, as well as return visits to top Estates of Bordeaux.

The Araujos’ profound respect for the cultivation of their historic Eisele Vineyard lent weight to their admonition that Matt’s inevitable Pinot project be borne of the finest possible fruit source. Their support of Matt’s passion, growth and concomitant work with Pinot Noir has been unqualified. Today, the sum of these experiences culminates in Matt’s own label. All of Matt's work with spade and pruning shears, all his exploration of vineyards across the world, each evolving intuition regarding connection between celestial rhythms and life on earth, these experiences are given freely to this, his release of 2009 Matthew D. Taylor Pinot Noir.

Matt resides in Healdsburg with his wife Mikaela, their daughters Marley & Naia and son Devon.

Matthew Taylor always seems surrounded by friends and family. He seems rarely to rest, and even more rarely to want for a helping hand. But one person particularly has given the years of encouragement and advice which most accounts for the emergence of this new label.

Sean Taylor is Matthew’s business partner, older brother, and mentor. Sean’s approach in business has won him recognition as a focused and dedicated leader, strategic problem solver and persuasive broker.

As Sean approaches the start of his third decade of business ventures including start-ups, operational consulting, and ownership change-overs, Matt is able to give full attention to winemaking. In addition to knowing that partnerships have been thoughtfully negotiated and that the fine print of every transaction suits their shared interest, Matt has in Sean a personal confidant, a winemaking protégé, a trusted assistant in the vineyard, and most importantly – a best friend.

Sean Taylor resides in Sebastopol with his wife Dawn, their son Michael and daughter Emma.